Summer 2015 PSY 530-700: Lifespan Developmental Psychology (3 credits; CRN: 40657) Lowry Campus Weekend #1: Friday, July 17 th (4:00 pm-10:00 pm), Saturday, July 18 th (8:00 am-5:00 pm), Sunday, July 19 th (8:00 am-4:00 pm) Weekend #2: Friday, July 31 st (4:00 pm-10:00 pm), Saturday, August 1 st (8:00 am-5:00 pm), Sunday, August 2 nd (8:00 am-4:00 pm) Instructor: Katie Cooper, Ph.D. Office Hours: by appointment (likely before/after class and on a mutually agreed upon day/time between course meetings) E-mail: kathryn.cooper@unco.edu Phone: 303-949-3129 (cell) Course Description: This course provides an overview of human growth and development from conception through senescence, focusing on cognitive, affective, social, and psychomotor development through the lifespan. Course Overview: I am excited to share my enthusiasm about human development! This course is designed to develop your knowledge of various key developmental theories, explore critical research findings pertaining to lifespan development, and build your awareness of developmental needs and capabilities in various domains (e.g., self, emotion, cognition, physical, social, moral). This course will also focus on the individual influences of nature, nurture, as well as the more important dynamic interaction between both nature and nurture on development as highlighted by the epigenetic theory of development. Distinctions between the various periods of the lifespan will also be highlighted. Successful development can be described as the relative maximization of gains and the minimization of losses (Baltes, 1997, p. 367). Knowledge and Skill Outcomes: Upon successful completion of this course students will: 1. Understand the nature and needs of persons at all developmental levels and in multicultural contexts (CACREP II.G.3). 2. Understand theories of individual and family development and transitions across the life span (CACREP II.G.3.a). 3. Understand theories of learning and personality development, including current understandings about neurobiological behavior (CACREP II.G.3.b). 4. Understand effects of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on persons of all ages (CACREP II.G.3.c). 5. Understand theories and models of individual, cultural, couple, family, and community resilience (CACREP II.G.3.d). 6. Have a general framework for understanding exceptional abilities and strategies for differentiated interventions (CACREP II.G.3.e). 7. Understand human behavior, including an understanding of developmental crises, disability, psychopathology, and situational and environmental factors that affect both normal and abnormal behavior (CACREP II.G.3.f). 1
8. Know theories and etiology of addictions and addictive behaviors, including strategies for prevention, intervention, and treatment (CACREP II.G.3.g). 9. Understand theories for facilitating optimal development and wellness over the life span (CACREP II.G.3.h). Required Readings: Broderick, P. C. & Blewitt, P. (2015). Life Span Development. 4 th Edition. Pearson. ISBN-13: 978-0132942881 ISBN-10: 0132942887 This textbook can be purchased from the following website: http://www.mypearsonstore.com/bookstore/life-span-human-development-for-helpingprofessionals-9780133785647 or through the UNC bookstore. There should be used copies available for purchase at the UNC bookstore. The bookstore is generally able to ship the textbook to you so that you receive within a couple of days of purchase. It is critical that you purchase and receive your textbook with ample time in advance of the start of the course so that your readings and participation in the course aren t negatively impacted. You will also be required to read specific chapters and articles from resources outside of the textbook. These readings are available on the electronic reserves at Michener Library, posted on Blackboard and/or are available through the electronic data bases accessed through the Michener Library. Please bring your book to all class meetings. You are expected to read all assigned readings prior to class. Reading before class will help you understand and integrate the lecture material and help you to contribute to the depth of classroom discussions. Please note, lectures will supplement and expand upon the readings, and will not simply repeat it. If you have any questions from the readings, please ask. Class Format: This course will combine lectures, guest lecturers, video clips depicting key developmental milestones or findings, class discussion, in-class group activities, small group discussions, and various assignments to illustrate, discuss, and challenge your thinking about the relationships between theory, research, and clinical work that effect development. My hope is to make the class as interactive as possible. Obligations of the Student: 1) Complete readings before class, 2) Arrive to each class on time each day, 3) Thoughtfully participate in the class (i.e., during discussions, actively integrating new information into your repertoire of knowledge, considering alternative perspectives highlighted during the course), 4) Prepare for and thoughtfully complete the exam, papers, presentations, and in-class assignments, and 5) Turn in papers and other assignments at designated time. Honor Code The UNC Honor Code is below: All members of the University of Northern Colorado community are entrusted with the responsibility to uphold and promote five fundamental values: Honesty, Trust, Respect, Fairness, and Responsibility. These core elements foster an atmosphere, inside and outside of the classroom, which serves as a foundation and guides the UNC community s academic, professional, and personal growth. Endorsement of these core elements by students, faculty, staff, administration, and trustees strengthens the integrity and value of our academic climate. http://www.unco.edu/dos/honor_code.htm Accommodations Statement: 2
Students who believe that they may need accommodations in this class are encouraged to contact the Disability Support Services, voice/tty (970) 351-2289, or fax (970) 351-4166, or visit www.unco.edu/dss as soon as possible to ensure that accommodations are implemented in a timely fashion. Inclusivity Statement: The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences (CEBS) supports an inclusive learning environment where diversity and individual differences are understood, respected, appreciated, and recognized as a source of strength. We expect that students, faculty, administrators and staff within CEBS will respect differences and demonstrate diligence in understanding how other peoples perspectives, behaviors, and worldviews may be different from their own. Personal Considerations: Psychology courses may occasionally touch upon topics that students find personally distressing in some way. If you experience a reaction of this type, please feel free to discuss it with me or someone at the Student Counseling Center 970-351-2496. Other Policies/Deadlines: You are solely responsible for knowing all relevant academic policies (e.g., incompletes, inclement weather, academic dishonesty) and deadlines (e.g., the last day to drop a course) that pertain to this course, as described in the university bulletin and course schedule. Plagiarism: When you present information, you should (a) use your own words to express your own ideas; (b) use your own words to express someone else s ideas and cite the source; and/or (c) put quotes around someone else s words and cite the source. If you violate these rules, you will receive a zero on the assignment. If you continue to violate these rules on any course assignments, you will fail the class. Cell Phones/Classroom Behavior: Please be vigilant and ensure that your cell phone is absolutely off during class. Please no ringing, no text messaging, etc. If you have an emergency, step outside to use your phone. Same is true for using the restroom, getting a drink, etc. Please do not carry-on secondary conversations during class. Give your classmates the respect they deserve when they are contributing to the discussion by listening to what they have to say. Use of Laptops: Use of laptops for note-taking in class is a privilege, not a right. Any indication that laptops are being used to check email, to surf the internet, or to engage in any activity other than note-taking will result in loss of this privilege. Library Services for Distance Education and Off-Campus Students: Obtaining Materials from UNC Libraries: Off-campus students residing within 50 miles of the UNC campus are required to come to the library and borrow materials in person. Students residing more than 50 miles from campus may request that materials be delivered to them. All requests must include complete citations. We will supply materials from the UNC Libraries, as well as materials from other libraries obtained via Interlibrary Loan. Articles will be delivered via email. Books will be mailed first class. Delivery time by U.S. postal service is approximately 1 week. It is the responsibility of the student to return books by the date due. 3
UNC does not pay return postage on books. For information on document delivery, call (970) 351-1446. Requests for materials may be made through the following methods: Online: http://www.unco.edu/library/forms/distancerequest.htm By email: library.ocp@unco.edu By fax: (970) 351-2540 Student Satisfaction Evaluation: Students will be asked to evaluate the course for instructors knowledge, interest and enthusiasm as well as providing additional information on classes or topics which you would like to see developed as a future offering from UNC. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Evaluation: 1) A series of in-class assignments are worth 10 points total. Assignments will be designed to build critical thinking and analytical skills pertaining to developmental psychology. Some of the assignments will be designed to be completed in small groups and others will be meant to be completed individually. You must be present and actively participate in the assignment in order to earn points for each of the assignments. 2) A jigsaw presentation & handout is worth 15 points. The jigsaw presentations will take place on *July 19 th. Each group will read and be responsible for teaching their peers about particular interventions designed to build social-emotional skills. This assignment will be described in more detail in class and the guidelines are posted to BlackBoard. Time in class will be allotted to work on most of this assignment. 3) A developmental autobiography is due on *July 21 st by midnight (post this assignment to Blackboard). This paper is worth 15 points. The guidelines for this assignment are included below: This assignment sets the stage for connecting personal experiences to psychological literature on human development. I do not intend for this assignment to be intrusive or to make students uncomfortable. I do hope that the assignment will provoke students analysis and help them to see the relevance of academic concepts for their own lives to then help build insight that is useful in their future clinical practice. The following are the basic questions for students to read and consider in preparing their paper. Students can choose to answer any of the questions in Part A (see note on Part A below, which offers alternative ways to complete this section of the assignment if so desired), and then answer all of Part B and Part C. Part A. Your Life (2- to 2 ½ pages) 1. Describe your family. How many people were in your family during your childhood years? Did your family structure change (e.g., divorce of parents, death of a family member, inclusion of grandparent in the home, addition of a sibling)? 2. Was there anything unusual about your birth (e.g., were you born early or a twin)? 3. Were there any notable circumstances during your infancy (e.g., a sibling was born)? 4. What do you remember about your early childhood, from about 2 to 6 years of age (e.g., did you go to preschool? Who did you play with? What kinds of fantasies and pretend play did you participate in? What scared you?) 4
5. What are your most vivid memories about middle childhood, from about 6 to 10 years of age (e.g., who were your friends? How did you do in school? What did you do in your free time? What kind of identity did you develop (as a boy or girl? as a member of an ethnic or cultural group)? What kind of chores did you have at home? How did your family make sense of the meaning of life?) 6. What was your adolescence like, from about 10 to 18 years of age (e.g., what do you remember about your search for an identity? What were your close friends like? What other kinds of peer interactions did you have? What were your romantic relationships (or desires) like? How did you find school? Did you participate in any extracurricular activities? What did you do to explore the boundaries of acceptable behavior for example, trying risky behaviors?) 7. What accomplishments and struggles have you had as a young adult, from about 18 to 30 years of age (e.g., how have you negotiated your personal relationships? What kinds of jobs have you had? What personal changes have been most satisfying?) 8. What have been your experiences, if applicable, during middle adulthood, from about 30 to 60 years of age (e.g., What responsibilities have you had? How have your relationships changed in some ways and remained stable in others? How have you both changed and remained stable? In what areas in your life do you gain the most satisfaction?) Note on Part A. If you prefer not to examine your own life, you may choose to write about another person or report on a published biography or autobiography. If you choose the former option, make sure that you give the person a pseudonym. If you choose the latter option, provide a full reference. Part B. A Lifespan Framework (½ to 1 page) Prior to completing this section, read Chapter 1 from the textbook; this is the section on Major Issues in Development. Choose three of the following issues and apply them to your life by answering the following questions: How have you demonstrated one or both of the ends of the continuum of dimensions (for those that are on a continuum)? How have these polar qualities interacted? For other dimensions, how have both qualities been influential? Critical periods and plasticity (these are not opposing terms on a continuum but rather relatable terms) Continuity and discontinuity Universality and specificity Qualitative and quantitative change Activity and passivity Part C. Stress and Resiliency (½ to 1 page) What characteristics of your nature and nurture resulted in stressors? What characteristics of your nature and nurture resulted in buffers and ultimately resiliency against those stressors? Your paper should be double spaced, have 12-point font, and 1-inch margins. The 3-4 page paper will be assessed based on thoughtful inclusion of the above points (e.g., reasonable efforts to describe one s own or another s personal life in A, accurate application of concepts in B, and thoughtful analysis of C), clarity in writing, organized ideas, thoughtful analysis overall, and absence of spelling and grammar errors. 4) A reflection paper on addictions and development is worth 15 points. The paper will be due by 5:00 pm on *July 28 th (post your paper to Blackboard via SafeAssignment). This assignment will be described in more detail in class. 5) A developmental analysis handout and short presentation about a developmental milestone/finding/issue OR empirically supported intervention that is relatable to developmental 5
milestone/finding/issue is worth 20 points. You will sign up to present in the morning or afternoon on *August 2 nd. The written part of this assignment is to be submitted to me upon arrival to class on August 2 nd (so that I can make copies of the handout for classmates to refer to during your presentation). This assignment will be described in more detail in class. 6) There is a final exam worth 25 points. The final exam questions and your responses are due by 5:00 pm on *August 7 th (post this completed exam to Blackboard via SafeAssignment). The final exam is cumulative. The final exam is a take-home exam that is comprised predominantly of short answer and essay questions. The final exam must be completed individually but reference to your notes, textbook, and other readings is permitted. The final exam will be graded based on accuracy and clarity of responses as well as appropriate grammar and spelling. Final Course Grade: You will receive a final grade reflecting the total number of points you obtain. The scheme for assignment of final grades is as follows: A 94-100 points A- 90-93 points B+ 87-89 points B 84-86 points B- 80-83 points C+ 77-79 points C 74-76 points C- 70-73 points D+ 67-69 points D 64-66 points D- 60-63 points F 59 points and below Calculation of Course Grade: In-class Assignments: (10 total points possible) Jigsaw Assignment: (15 points possible) Developmental Autobiography: (15 points possible) Reflection Paper & Discussion on Addictions and Development: (15 points possible) Analysis of Development Handout and Presentation: (20 points possible) Final Exam: (25 points possible) Total: (100 points possible) 6
Tentative Course Reading Outline: Date Topic/s Readings 7/17 Welcome, Introductions, & Syllabus Organizing Themes in Development Chapter 1 *Evans, G. W. & Kim, P. (2007). Childhood poverty and health: Cumulative risk exposure and stress dysregulation. Psychological Science, 18, 953-957. Heredity, Environment, and the Beginnings of Human Life Chapter 2 7/18 Neural and Cognitive Development in the Early Years Chapter 3 Emotional Development in the Early Years Chapter 4 The Emerging Self and Socialization in the Early Years Chapter 5 7/19 *Riggs, N.R., Jahromi, L.B., Razza, R P., Dillworth-Bart, J.E., & Mueller, U. (2006). Executive function and the promotion of social-emotional competence. Journal of Applied Developmental Psychology, 27, 300-309. Realms of Cognition in Middle Childhood 7/31 Gender and Peer Relationships: Middle Childhood Through Early Adolescence Chapter 6 Chapter 8 The Social World of Adolescence Chapter 10 8/1 Socioemotional and Vocational Development in Young Adulthood Middle Adulthood: Cognitive, Personality, and Social Development 8/2 Living Well: Stress, Coping, and Life Satisfaction in Adulthood *Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology, chapter on adolescent risk taking Chapter 12 *Ali, L. (2008, July). True or false: Having kids makes you happy. Newsweek: Summer double issue, 152(2), 62-63. Chapter 13 *Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology, chapter on alcoholism through the lifespan Chapter 14 Gains and Losses in Late Adulthood Chapter 15 (pages 493-501) *Kock, T., Turner, R., Smith, P., & Hutnik, N., (2010). Storytelling reveals the active, positive lives of centenarians. Nursing Older People, 22(8), 31-36. * = indicates required articles to read that can be accessed via Blackboard or by doing a search through the library at UNC. ^ = indicates required chapters to read that can be accessed only via the electronic reserves at the library at UNC. 7
Student Assessment of CACREP Standards CACREP Standard Course Activities Student Assessment Understand the nature and needs of persons at all developmental levels and in multicultural contexts (CACREP II.G.3) Understand theories of individual and family development and transitions across the life span (CACREP II.G.3.a) Understand theories of learning and personality development, including current understandings about neurobiological behavior (CACREP II.G.3.b) Understand effects of crises, disasters, and other trauma-causing events on persons of all ages (CACREP II.G.3.c) Understand theories and models of individual, cultural, couple, family, and community resilience (CACREP II.G.3.d) Have a general framework for understanding exceptional abilities and strategies for differentiated interventions (CACREP II.G.3.e) Understand human behavior, including an understanding of developmental crises, Required Reading- Knafo, A., Zahn-Waxler, C., Van Hulle, C., Robinson, J.L., & Rhee, S.H. (2008). The developmental origins of a disposition toward empathy: Genetic and environmental contributions. Emotion, 8, 737-752. Class Lectures Required Reading- Evans, G. W. & Kim, P. (2007). Childhood poverty and health: Cumulative risk exposure and stress dysregulation. Psychological Science, 18, 953-957. Required Reading- Class Lectures Required Reading- Evans, G. W. & Kim, P. (2007). Childhood poverty and health: Cumulative risk exposure and stress dysregulation. Psychological Science, 18, 953-957. Required Reading- chapter on adolescent risk taking (in the Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology) Required Reading- Ali, L. (2008, July). True or false: Having kids makes you happy. Newsweek: Summer double issue, 152(2), 62-63. Final Exam Developmental Autobiography Analysis of Development Handout and Presentation In Class Assignment: Piaget s changing schemas across development Final Exam In Class Assignment: Application of epigenetic systems theory In Class Assignment: Explaining the impact of stress on development based on developmental neuropsychology Final Exam Developmental Autobiography Final Exam Analysis of Development Handout and Presentation Jigsaw presentation and handout Guest Speaker Final Exam In Class Assignment: Application of epigenetic systems 8
disability, psychopathology, and situational and environmental factors that affect both normal and abnormal behavior (CACREP II.G.3.f) Know theories and etiology of addictions and addictive behaviors, including strategies for prevention, intervention, and treatment (CACREP II.G.3.g) Understand theories for facilitating optimal development and wellness over the life span (CACREP II.G.3.h) Required Additional Reading: chapter on alcoholism through the lifespan (in Handbook of Developmental Psychopathology) Class lectures Required Additional Reading: Kock, T., Turner, R., Smith, P., & Hutnik, N., (2010). Storytelling reveals the active, positive lives of centenarians. Nursing Older People, 22(8), 31-36. theory Reflection Paper on Addictions and Development In Class Assignment: Analysis of addictive behaviors from differing theoretical perspectives Developmental Autobiography 9